Mail-box.



PATBNTED JULY 14, 1903;

W. G. DOUGALL.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION nLnn my 20, 1903.

10 MODEL.

WWW

M WW 1 cams warms co mourned wmumcmn n c NITED STATES Patented July 14, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. DOUGALL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. MONTAGUE & 00., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

MAIL=BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,704, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed May 20, 1903. Serial No. 157,941. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. DOUGALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Mail-Boxes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in i0 mail-boxes, and is especially designed for rural delivery and collection.

It consists in such construction of the box or receptacle with a securing-hasp and a signaling-target that the box may be locked IS with the target exposed when there is any mail-matter within it to be collected either by the postman or the parties to which it is to be addressed and in the same connection means for similarly locking the box with the target concealed when there is no mail-matter within.

My invention also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end View of my invention, showing target raised. Fig. 2is an end view of same, showing target lowered. Fig. 3 is a front view of same, showing target raised.

It is the object of my invention to provide asimple,safe,water-tightcompartmentadapt ed to be mounted upon apost or other object within easy view of the house or settlement for which it is intended and equally obvious 5 to the postman traveling along the road and in connection with this box a signal and a means for exposing and concealing the signal, in conjunction with a hasp by which the box is locked.

I have here shown my device as consisting of a semicylindrical lower containing portion A and a similarly-shaped upper portion B, the two being pivoted together at the ends, so that the upper part B may be turned about the pivot substantially concentric with the lower part to open or close with reference to said lower part. The upper portion extends sufificiently below the upper edges of the lower portion so that when closed it overlaps on the sides and ends, and thus prevents any leakage of water into the lower compartment. As a further safeguard the front and rear edges are preferably turned outward, as shown at 2, and these edges serve as guides or troughs to convey any moisture which may run down off the cover and deliver this moisture beyond the ends of the box. The pivots connecting the two parts may be of any suitable or desired construction and preferably capped on the outside for safety.

The fastening consists of a curved hasp 4, having slots made in it, as at 5 and 6, and these slots are adapted to fit over a projecting staple 7, which is firmly fixed to the front of the lower compartment A. The hasp is here shown with outward bends in it, as at 9, which allow it to be fitted over the projecting flange 2 when closed and locked. The upper end of the hasp is hinged, as at 10, to a target 11, and this target is hinged at the lower end to the top B, as shown at 12. These hinges maybe made in a single structure or separately, as found most convenient, and are at such a distance apart that the hinge 12 forms a fulcrum about which the target may be moved by pushing or pulling upon the hasp when free from its catch, so as to either erect the target in a visible position or to turn it down about its hinge 12 and practically conceal it from observation. The foot of the target has a rearward extension 11 which serves as a stop to limit the backward movement of the target when erected. The slots 5 and 6 made in the hasps are both adapted to fit over the staple 7. Thus when the slot 5 fits over the staple the target will be turned down upon the front side of the cover and will not noticeably present itself to observation. In this position the slot 5 is engaged with the staple 7, and the usual or any suitable lock secures the parts, and the box will be in a locked condition. This occurs when there is no mail-matter in the box for either collection or delivery. If the mail-carrier has any matter to leave in the box, the latter is unlocked, mailmatter deposited, and the hasp is pushed backward, acting by its leverage on the hinge 10 to push the target 11 up into a substantially vertical position, where it can be seen from the house or place to which the mail is addressed. The slot 6 is then fitted over the staple 7, and the lock replaced, the box being thus securely locked with the contained mail-matter. The persons for whom the box is designed having also a key can open the box and remove the mail, and if they have no mail-matter to deposit the hasp will be drawn down, at the same time folding the target into its concealed position, and will be secured and locked by engaging the slot 5 with the staple 7. If these parties have any mail to be collected by the carrier, it is placed in the box, and the box is locked with the target in its erect position, thus enabling the carrier to determine without dismounting whether it is necessary to go to the box or not.

The sections A and B of the box may be made of any suitable or well-known material, such as heavy galvanized or aluminiumpainted iron, and the ends may be doubleseamed upon the curved side portions, so as to form a stiff and water-tight joint.

For the purpose of support any suitable attachment'may be made to the box. In the present case I have shown stout strips of iron or steel, as at 13, and these are riveted along the bottom of the lower segment and turned up against the ends, as shown at it. Near the central portion these strips are turned down, as shown at 15, leaving any suitable or desired space between them, and these turned-down portions are adapted to fit over the top of a post or other support upon which the box may be conveniently fixed.

Various attachments may be substituted for that above described to suit the conditions and the position in which the box is to be located.

For convenience I have shown the stop 12 fixed to a stout strap which is riveted to the front of the lower compartment, and upon this strap is fixed a second staple 16 a little to one side of the staple 7, and this serves for the connection of the chain which secures the lock and prevents its being accidentally carried away or lost.

It will be understood that the cover may be hinged to the lower portion without changing the character of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

l. The combination in a mail-box of a semicylindrical container, and a similarly-shaped cover turnably connected thereto at the ends and turnable to open or close the receptacle, a target hinged to the cover, a hasp hinged to the target and adapted to raise or lower the target about its hinge connection, and

means by which the hasp may be secured with the target in either position.

2. A mail-box consisting of a lower cylindrical segment closed at the ends, an upper cylindrical segment similarly closed at the ends, and turnably connected to the lower segment so as to open or close thereon, a target having its lower end hinged to the coversegment, a hasp having its upper end hinged to the target at a point above the target connection with the cover, said hasp having a plurality of slots made in it, a staple fixed to the lower compartment over which either of the slots may be fitted and locked, said slots being separated so that when one is locked to the staple, the target will be erect and visible, and when the other is so locked the target will be drawn down and substantially concealed.

3. A mail-box consisting of a semicylindrical segment closed at the ends, a semicylindrical cover similarly closed turnably connected to the lower segment and projecting below its upper edges so as to form a weather-sea], said upper segment having its edges turned outwardly to form water-condoctors, a staple fixed to the lower segment, a hasp having a plurality of slots adapted to fit the staple, and outwardly-curved bends to fit the projecting edge of the cover-section a target hinged to the top of the cover-section having a second hinge removed from the first named, and a pivotal connection between the contiguous end of the hasp and said second hinge whereby the target may be erected and the box locked by one of the slots of the hasp engaging the staple, and the target folded down and concealed, and the box locked by locking the other slot to the staple. 4. A mail-box consisting of a semicylindrical receptacle-compartment and a semicylindrical cover-compartmentturnablyconnected with relation to the receptacle to open or hinged the latter, a target having its lower end close to' the cover-section and having a stop projecting rearwardly to limit the extent of its upward movement, a hasp hinged to the target above its lower end, said hasp extending over the front and having separatedslots, a staple fixed to the lower compartment over which one of these slots may be locked to maintain the target erect, and the other one to depress it into a substantially concealed position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WVILLIAM G. DOUGALL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD J. DUNCOMB, JNo. K. JErFREss. 

